Gift of life for TV star on the brink

SIX months ago, John Healy, the maitre D in the RTÉ series, The Restaurant, had two major heart attacks. He was on the list for a transplant but was weakening by the day. On Mar 20, he got the call.

“I had been on the list for 18 months, and it went right to the very edge. They rang at 7.30pm, and said I needed to be at the Mater hospital within ten minutes. I knew my time was finally here and I was so excited,’’ says Healy, 47, from Nass, Co Kildare.

On the trolley to be taken down to the operating suite, the reality hit him. “I realised there was no turning back. The tears started to roll down my face. I was thinking; ‘Oh my God, they are going to cut me open and take my heart out and put a new one in.’ It just hit me then. But the nurse grabbed my hand and said, ‘John, you are going to be okay’.’’